Prove It
by TimeLord98
Summary: The Master hears about the great James Moriarty and decides to pay him a little visit to see if the consulting detective really is all he's cracked up to be.


**Author's Note: Okay yes I know that the Master does not canonically have a TARDIS at this point in time. However, it is my headcanon that after The End of Time, he was taken back into the Time Lock with the other Time Lords, he stole a TARDIS, rigged it so he could get out of the Time Lock (he _is_ really clever), and is now travelling around causing havoc, so that's what the case is here.**

The Master sauntered across the rooftop towards a man dressed in Westwood. The man was looking out over the city, his features illuminated only by the city lights and the full moon.

"Ah hello, and who might _you_ be?" the Master asked the man, though he knew exactly who he was. The man turned around slowly.

"Jim Moriarty. Hi," the man said in a lilting, northern Irish accent, "Might I ask your name?"

"I'm known as the Master."

Moriarty raised his eyebrows at this statement.

"The master of what?" he asked, scrutinizing the blonde man standing a few metres away. A smile spread across the Master's face. He loved it when people asked that question. Made it so much easier to show off.

"Time. Space. The fate of all mankind. _Everything_."

A sceptical look crossed Moriarty's face.

"I see," he said. A moment of silence passed between the two men before Moriarty spoke again, "Well aren't you going to ask about me? It is rather rude of you to ask about me and not return the favour by telling me about yourself."

"Why should I? You're just a puny little human. Not of any importance."

Moriarty narrowed his eyes. He wasn't sure he liked this Master. Who was he to question his importance?

"Well, why talk to me then? Clearly you've sought me out for some reason."

A smirk tugged at the corners of the Master's mouth.

"It's fun to play with the pets."

"Oh I see, you think I'm average. You think I'm part of the normal human scum."

"Oh?" the Master raised an eyebrow, "And what makes you so special?"

"Well for example…hang on, why should _I_ prove myself to _you_?"

The Master stared at Moriarty, his hands in his trouser pockets. He had come to speak to this particular human for a very good reason. The story of the fall of the Reichenbach hero had been brought to his attention, and the Master figured that Jimmy boy here could make an excellent companion…if the consulting criminal was all he was cracked up to be.

"Because I could kill you with little more than a thought," he said quietly. "They don't call me the Master for nothing."

Moriarty laughed.

"Oh I don't think so, dearie. _No one_ has been able to get to me. Not even the great Sherlock Holmes. And _you_ certainly can't. Not from where you think you stand at least."

This time it was the Master's turn to laugh.

"Oh you sweet little thing. You have no idea who you're dealing with."

"The same could be said for you."

"The difference here is that I hold the obvious advantage."

Moriarty was grinning at this point.

"Oooh! You _are_ the cocky one, aren't you? You think you can intimidate me with empty threats?

"_Empty_?" the Master laughed. "Please."

"If you're so _mind bogglingly_ intelligent and or powerful, tell me something that could _possibly_ impress me. Go on. I _am_ intrigued."

"I can't die." The Master lowered his voice, punctuating each word carefully. "Clever little trick I have."

"You're insane," Moriarty said, amused, "I like that. I'm probably as crazy as you, but of course, I'm better."

"Oh really now? You keep forgetting that I'm still far cleverer than you."

Moriarty sauntered close to the Master, speaking slowly and in little more than a whisper.

"Do you know how many people in London have died of…_unnatural_ causes in the past year?"

The Master smirked and responded, matching Moriarty's tone.

"Do you know how many planets have been decimated in the time period of an Earth month?"

"You know, the difference between you and me is that I have actual_ proof_ of my capabilities. All _you_ have is your empty little words."

The Master narrowed his eyes at the consulting criminal. Moriarty was an arrogant little bastard that's for sure, but the Master still had yet to see any proof that Jim had anything more than hearsay. He was going to have to be a little more forward if the conversation was going to get anywhere. A confident, taunting smile began to spread across the Master's face.

"Would you care to see one of my little…creations?"

He reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a short, metal, rod-shaped device. Moriarty watched curiously as the Master twirled it in his fingers casually.

"Oooh, what's this little toy now?" he asked, his eyebrows arching almost to his hairline.

The Master smirked.

"_This_ is my laser screwdriver. This bad boy can do _loads_ of things." He stepped closer to Moriarty and lowered his voice to less than a whisper. "I could kill you with this if I wanted to."

"Hmm, no I wouldn't really like to test the validity of that statement. I _do_ think, however, that you may have the potential to help me."

The Master turned and meandered around the roof nonchalantly.

"Mm, the problem with that proposition is that I'm still not sure you're clever enough to work with me."

Moriarty smirked.

"I have an underground operation spanning almost the entire world."

"Prove it. Prove to me that you have what it takes to kill a man."

Moriarty smirked as a plethora of red dots appeared on the Master's suit. The psychopathic Time Lord grinned in response.

"Interesting development. Now what do you plan on doing with your little laser pens? Blind me?"

Moriarty laughed in disbelief.

"Laser pens?"

"Did I freaking stutter?"

The Master stared at Moriarty challengingly, silently daring him to have his snipers pull their triggers. Moriarty eyed him with a mixture of scepticism and disbelief.

"Are you unafraid of death?"

"Please."

"I could have a bullet fired through your heart before you could have a chance to blink."

"That's nice." The Master was growing tired of the conversation. "Now are you going to do something, or are you just going to stand there and talk all night."

"I'm thinking about it. I still haven't figured out whether you're more useful to me dead or alive."

The Master rolled his eyes.

"You're beginning to bore me. Come on! _Do_ something already! Or are you too afraid?"

The smile had left Moriarty's face. He was now staring at the Master coldly and menacingly.

"I don't think you are of much use to me at this juncture. Why should I do anything you want when I have fifteen sniper rifles pointed at your head?"

Before Moriarty could properly register what had happened, he found himself almost uncomfortably close to the blonde man. The Master grinned and leaned in to whisper in the consulting criminal's ear.

"Because I can give you the world, nay, the _universe_ on a silver platter."

Moriarty's smile returned, far brighter than before.

"If?"

"If you prove to me that you're not just like every other human: boring, dull, unimaginative, gutless. Prove to me that you have what it takes."

Moriarty locked eyes with the Master, saying nothing for a moment.

"Look up 'Sherlock Holmes, Reichenbach.' That should give you some insight into my abilities."

"Oh I know about that little stunt. I also know that the detective survived rather easily. No, you need to do better than that."

"All right."

Moriarty reached behind his back and pulled out his handgun, not hesitating before shooting the Master in the chest.

"Sorry," he said in an even more exaggerated sing-song than before, "I was getting bored."

The Master had his hand pressed against his chest, the bullet wound bleeding profusely. He coughed, and more came out of his mouth, staining his teeth the same shade of red that his shirt was turning. The grin that spread across his face was rather sickening, his eyes wild as his body shook with a jagged laugh.

"Good! Very good," he said, struggling to form the words even as his hands began to glow, "You see, I have this clever little trick. It lets me cheat death, and it's one hell of a show."

The Master suddenly burst into golden light and Moriarty stumbled backwards. The consulting criminal's eyes were wide in shock and wonder, and as the light died down, his smile transformed into a manic grin. The Master looked down at himself and pointlessly dusted off his bloody suit.

"Ah, that's better."

He ruffled his hair.

"Ooh! Curls! That's rather nice!"

Moriarty slowly got up from his position on the floor, eyeing the Master warily as he tried to manoeuver his hair into a position where he could see it.

"Ginger! Oh the Doctor would be _so_ jealous!"

He licked his teeth.

"Interesting. Oi!"

He turned to Moriarty, whose face was completely drained of colour.

"What colour are my eyes?"

"Uh…th-they seem to be a bluish, greyish, greenish colour I think."

"Brilliant. Ooh! Very deep voice, very posh accent. I like it. Makes me sound even more intelligent."

"Well…that was interesting."

"Did you get shorter?"

Moriarty glared at the new, taller man in front of him. He was put off by this new turn of events and was not in the mood for witty remarks. The Master grinned cheekily.

"You might have guessed as much," he said, still playing with his hair, "But I'm not exactly human. Well, not at all human."

"Yes, I gathered that."

"I'm a Time Lord from a planet called Gallifrey. You just witnessed one of our fun little tricks. It's called regeneration. The man you see before you is my seventh incarnation."

"Interesting. Well?"

"Well what?"

"I believe you now."

"Good. That was rather the point of this whole charade. So! Do you want to come with me?"

"It is a bit boring around here, now that Sherlock thinks I'm dead."

"That's an understatement."

There was a pause in which the two men stared at each other.

"What do I need?"

The Master grinned.

"You good at running?"

"Oh, I can run. But…there still is the little problem of…"

Moriarty gestured vaguely to the source of the lasers. The Master raised his laser screwdriver and pressed a button. The lasers vanished and faint screaming could be heard. He smiled innocently.

"What problem?"

Moriarty's smile grew even wider.

"Ooh! This just keeps getting better and better!"

"The life I lead is a rollercoaster that only goes up. Care for a piece of it? It'll be dangerous. You could die."

"Life is boring anyways."

"Not with me it isn't."

The Master suddenly grinned and bolted in the direction of his TARDIS, Moriarty laughing and following close behind. The Time Lord stopped outside the doors, a gleam in his eye.

"This…is my spaceship."

He flung open the doors and waltzed inside.

"Come on then. She won't bite."

Moriarty tentatively followed the Master into the cavernous interior of the TARDIS.

"This is the TARDIS," the Master explained, "T-A-R-D-I-S. Time And Relative Dimension In Space."

Moriarty was mesmerised by it all. He slowly wandered about the console room, drinking in the sheer majesty.

"So it can travel anywhere in space and time?" he asked.

"Anywhere that doesn't cross your own timeline. I'd rather_ not_ get eaten by the paradox reapers."

Moriarty opened his mouth as if to question this statement, but closed it again, deciding that he'd rather not know.

"SO!" The Master exclaimed enthusiastically, "All of space and time at your beck and call. Where would you like to start?"


End file.
